A Light in the Dark
by Celtic Words
Summary: In an AU Voldemort has won the war and Hermione is taken prisoner. What happens when she is given to Lucius as a reward for his service to the Dark Lord? How does Hermione learn to survive? Why is Lucius acting so strange? LM/HG One-shot, M/F, SoloM.


**A Light in the Dark**

A/N: This is a one-shot LM/HG story. I do not own any of the characters or the wizarding world that was created by J.K. Rowling. This is just for fun and for my own amusement. I just kept feeling like Lucius wanted to come out and play.

This story follows the fall of the wizarding world, with Voldemort in control. Lucius is given Hermione as a gift for loyalty to the Dark Lord. Can Hermione find any meaning in the aftermath of the war? What is Lucius's motivation in all of this?

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Hermione stood in front of Voldemort with her eyes turned to the ground. She felt weak and defeated as she listened to him drone on about his 'mighty victory over the wizarding world.' He was celebrating his new ascension into power with his faithful followers surrounding him. They had gathered in a huge ballroom that was cold and dark. The walls and floor were made of a dark black marble, with a huge silver chandelier hanging from the ceiling with charmed candles flickering to life.

Hermione stood in a long row of prisoners of the war. They were captured during the Great War.

The war had been the longest two weeks of her life. She had become heavily involved in the activities as she helped in any way she could to make sure that Harry would have all of the resources he needed to defeat Voldemort. But in the end, Voldemort snuck into one of the Order base camps and slit Harry's throat while he was sleeping.

Hermione was distraught over Harry's death and angry at her own inability to protect him. The next day she was walking around Hogwarts, trying to figure out what she would do now, when she was captured by Death Eaters. It wasn't long before she heard the gossip from other prisoners that Voldemort was claiming victory all over the wizarding world. He continued to conquer new ground and take more prisoners.

It had been three months since she was put in the dingy dungeons that she now called home. She was beaten regularly and tortured for sport by the Death Eaters that were in charge of guarding her. It didn't take long for Hermione to learn how to escape her feelings and become cold to their actions. At first she would fight them and pray for something or someone to save her. But, after the third time she had to endure the pain and humiliation of being raped on the cold stone floor of the dungeons, she lost all hope.

Now she stood before the celebrating bunch of Death Eaters in a long brown rag that was given to her to cover the bruises and dirt that marred her entire body. Her resolve to escape and live a free life again died with the next words that Voldemort yelled over the crowd. "We have won my fellow faithful! Dumbledore and Potter are dead!! We have even taken down his little gang of misfits…we have the werewolf, and have managed to drive the rest of his _Order_ members from this land. We can now take over the Ministry and run this world the way it should be." The crowd of masked men and women roared and cheered for their Lord.

Hermione felt hot tears run down her cheeks as she realized that the last bit of hope she had left her body with his words.

"Gather around all of you!" Voldemort took a seat at his throne and motioned for his followers to gather around the prisoners. "Now, I will reward the faithful servants that have proved themselves in this long and difficult battle. First, Severus Snape…step forward."

Hermione looked up as she saw Professor Snape come forward out of the crowd and remove his mask to bow at the Dark Lord's feet.

"Severus, you have been faithful to our cause and were the one that gave us a victory over Dumbledore. For your service I am bestowing upon you the title of Headmaster of Hogwarts. You will teach our next generation of the importance of blood and faithfulness to their Lord."

Severus bowed again before Voldemort and went to return to the ranks.

"I am not finished, Severus. I am giving you first choice among the prisoners. I'm sure you can find something to do with one of them." Voldemort laughed in a menacing way as he looked over the line of pitiful prisoners.

"Thank you, My Lord. You are too kind." Severus walked along the line of prisoners and scrutinized each of them. He only got about halfway through the line, when he pulled out a young girl with dirty blonde hair. She cried in fear as he yanked her wrist to have her follow him back into the crowd.

Voldemort laughed at the girl's reaction. "She will certainly be a lot of fun, Severus. Be sure to teach her some manners when she's in the presence of her superiors."

The rest of the Death Eaters laughed with Voldemort.

"Now, Lucius Malfoy…come forward."

Again, a dark figure emerged from the crowd. Lucius removed his mask and bowed in front of the Dark Lord.

"My Lord, how may I be of service to you?" Lucius drawled with his usual arrogance.

"Lucius, you have been faithful to me in many ways. I know that you took a great loss in this battle with the death of your wife and son." Hermione looked up in shock at that news. "I want you to be the new Minister of Magic. I am sure of your ability to run our world according to your Lord's will."

The other Death Eaters clapped for Lucius when they heard the news.

"I also want you to pick from the line of prisoners. Surely you desire some pretty young thing to warm your bed at night." Voldemort smirked at Lucius. He was so proud of himself.

Lucius bowed once again and got up to walk up and down the row of prisoners. He took his time as he walked up and down the entire row. Hermione kept her eyes on the floor as he passed her.

On his second pass he stopped in front of her and used his gloved hand to lift her face to his. She avoided meeting his eyes as he observed her demeanor.

"What is wrong, Miss Granger? Have you lost your fight? Where is that spunk that always leads you running into trouble full speed ahead?" Lucius raised one eyebrow at her silence.

He then grabbed her wrist and pulled her from the line of prisoners.

"I believe this one will suit me just fine." He announced his decision to the crowd as he pulled her towards the back of the room.

Hermione obediently followed as she realized that she would become Malfoy's whore. It sickened her to think that she would never have any greater purpose than to lie on her back and spread her legs for an evil man.

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An hour later found Hermione standing in a large, impeccably decorated bedroom. She stood there meekly waiting for Lucius's commands. He had left her there about twenty minutes ago without any direction. She never moved or even dared to look up and inspect the room while she waited for his return.

She wanted to cry and rage at her own inaction…or lack of bravado. She realized how defeated she was as she stood there in fear and never once had the desire to snoop through the room and find out where she was being kept.

Lucius came into the room and stopped as soon as he saw her still standing there in the same place he left her.

"Why are you still there? And looking like…_that?_" Lucius was annoyed at her appearance.

"I was not given any instructions to do anything." Hermione whispered her response to the ground. She did not dare assume she had the right to look him in the eye when she spoke.

"I put you in this room so you could take a bath and clean yourself of the filth that covers you. There are fresh clothes in the closet that should fit you." Lucius huffed loudly as he walked over to her and grabbed her wrist once again to drag her into the bathroom.

Once he was in there he flicked his wand towards the bath to turn on the taps that filled it with water and scented soap. "I had hoped to give you some privacy to do this yourself. But since you are incapable of taking care of yourself, I will have to do it for you. Strip."

Hermione finally looked up in confusion at his actions and began to slowly take off the brown cloth that draped her body. Lucius averted his eyes as she dropped the remaining clothing on the floor of the bathroom. He continued to look away as he ordered her to step into the tub.

Hermione gently stepped into the tub and sat down. The tub was huge. It was big enough to fit about four people and deep enough to have a bench in it that she sat on. Her body sang in delight as the warm water surrounded her and the soap began to pull at the grime that covered her completely.

"Surely you desire to be clean, Miss Granger?" Lucius turned around to see her seated in the water with the ends of her hair just dancing over the surface of the water. He then went to a medicine cabinet that was on the far wall and pulled out a couple of potion vials. He uncorked each one and poured them into the water and used his naked hands to swirl them around.

Hermione instantly felt a soothing relief fill her body. She sighed as the potions began to heal her body on the outside and clean her of the muck that she had become used to over the months in the dungeons.

Lucius removed his hands to roll up the sleeves of his fine linen shirt. He then grabbed a soft washcloth on the side of the tub and began to softly run it over her arms and legs. He avoided touching her inappropriately and even seemed to only look at her when he had to.

Hermione watched him closely as she tried to figure out why he was acting so strange. It didn't make sense to her to have him treat her with any kind of respect or even tenderness. She expected him to simply scourigify her body and take what he wanted from her.

"Miss Granger, I know you may not believe this of me…and you have no reason to believe anything I tell you." Lucius began to grab handfuls of water and trickle it over her hair to try and wash it with the scented water that was healing her tired body. "But I have no desire to take from you what is yours."

For the first time, Hermione looked directly into his eyes with questions running through her head. _What kind of manipulation is this? Does he think I'm that gullible? _

"I can see that you are already doubting me. And I don't blame you. But you should know that I have already lost everything I ever held dear to this war and the Dark Lord's vision of a better world. I chose you from the line of prisoners for your intelligence and willfulness." Lucius gently pushed her forward to get to her back and began to rub soft circles over her back with the washcloth.

"I simply want a companion. Someone to talk to. This manor can become awfully cold and lonely when you are the only one in it. I have no one left in this _perfect_ world." Lucius spit out the words in detest for the situation he was forced into. "Can you find it in yourself to give me a chance?"

Hermione turned her head and watched him as he continued to concentrate on her back. His face looked tired and weathered. For the first time, she saw defeat written on his features. She looked forward into the water and thought about what he was asking of her.

"How did they die?" Hermione tentatively asked.

Lucius's hand stopped moving on her back as he thought about her question. Their memories were still fresh wounds in him that hurt to think about. He had only told Severus of his true feelings about losing them before today.

"The Dark Lord killed Narcissa on the same night that Dumbledore was killed. He found out about her unbreakable vow that she made Severus take to protect Draco. He thought she was fearful, weak and unwilling to sacrifice for the greater good. So he made an example of her."

Hermione stayed quiet in the water as he paused in his story to gather his thoughts before continuing. "Draco went into hiding after that night. Severus tried to protect him. The Dark Lord threatened Severus's life if he did not give up Draco's hiding place." Lucius closed his eyes as he remembered the demise of his family.

"Severus warned Draco and told him to get out of Europe…to go to America until all of this was over. But, Draco did not listen. He came home…here. Death Eaters were already watching the manor and alerted the Dark Lord as soon as he arrived." Lucius wringed the water out of the washcloth and set it on the side of the tub before he moved to get up off of the floor. "I was forced to watch them torture and beat him to death. I was told that 'this will teach you the importance of raising your child to respect the Dark Lord'." Lucius looked over to Hermione and caught her eyes in a desperate gaze. "No man should ever have to watch that happen to their son."

Hermione didn't know what to say. Her heart broke for him as she saw the grief and terror that crossed his face as he remembered the death of his son. She pulled the towel he had provided for her off of the side of the tub and stood up to wrap herself in it.

Lucius turned away from her and walked towards the door. "There are clean clothes in the closet. Find something that fits you and come downstairs when you are finished. I will have dinner waiting." He then pulled the door open and left her standing in the bathroom with a big, soft towel wrapped around her.

Hermione wasted no time getting herself dry and pulling her wet hair back in a lose braid. She felt like a new person and completely renewed. She looked in the vast mirror in the bathroom and examined her body. She was covered in dark bruises and had a few scars from the beatings that they did not heal. She ran her hands down her sides and over her abdomen to feel the hip bones that protruded to show the signs of the conditions she had become accustomed to over time. She was thin and frail looking.

She gave up on her inspection of her body and went out of the bathroom to find the closet that Lucius mentioned. In the closet she saw rows and rows of beautiful gowns and robes of the highest quality. They were exquisite. She had never seen anything like it. Hermione assumed that this closet used to belong to Narcissa.

She walked to the end of the closet to find the most plain outfit in the collection. It was a long deep red gown that could only be described as a sun dress. It was nicer than anything Hermione had ever worn. She inspected the length and size of the gown and knew it would never fit her. She unzipped the back of the dress and stepped into it. When she started to pull it up over her hips she felt magic swirl around her as the gown fit to her shape. She gasped as she realized that all of the clothes in this closet were charmed to adjust to the wearer's size. _Brilliant._

Hermione found a full length mirror in the corner of the closet and checked all sides of her person to make sure she was adequately dressed. The red dress hit her mid-calf and flowed around with sophistication. The top was fitted to her body and the bust had a halter strap around her neck that pushed her breasts up to make them look full. She was amazed at how much one outfit could change her appearance. She observed the way her posture changed to one of ownership and pride as she began to feel beautiful and important in the fine clothing. She never thought clothing could change her opinion of a person...she was always one to believe in the old cliché of 'never judge a book by its cover.' But as she ran her hands over the luxurious material of the dress, she knew it gave her a feeling of elegance and worth.

She grabbed some low heels that matched the dress and left the closet to find her way downstairs.

As soon as she opened the door to the bedroom an elf popped in front of her and bowed. "I help miss find 'er way to the dining hall."

"Thank you." Hermione nodded to the elf and followed him downstairs. During their journey through the vast house she looked around and started to memorize the pathways and items of furniture to help her find her way around. "What's your name?" she asked the elf leading her to dinner.

"I's Darby, Miss. If ever you needs anything, you call me and I will 'elp you."

Just then they turned into a large study that was lined with volumes of ancient texts. Darby popped out of the room as soon as she entered the study to find Lucius sitting behind a large desk. He was furiously writing in a ledger.

Hermione came all of the way into the room and went to stand in front of the desk. Lucius felt her shadow come over him and looked up in a startled manner.

"Miss Granger, you will have to learn to announce yourself. I have become used to an empty house…your presence caught me off guard."

"I apologize, Mr. Malfoy."

"Please, call me Lucius. I wish for you to become comfortable with me." He put his quill away and closed the ledger he was working on. He then stood from the desk and came around to stand next to her. "Shall we?" He extended his arm towards her to escort her to dinner.

"What are you doing?" Hermione stepped away from him and looked at him with a question in her eyes. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that you have changed into a kind and caring person? I have nothing but contempt for you…your _Lord_ took everyone I love away from me. He purposely destroyed thousands of people just like me, simply because he thought he was superior to them because of their blood!" Hermione began to feel some of her old passion and righteousness as she recalled all that Lucius had been a part of over the years. "And you believed every word of it."

Lucius stared at her, unmoving. He stayed there for a long time as the silence became deafening between them. Finally, he took a deep breath and stepped over in front of her again.

"I am inviting you to join me for dinner, Hermione. You have two choices: you can join me and be civil during our meal, possibly even pleasant; or you can choose to go back to the bedroom you were in earlier and wait for me to join you later." Lucius looked at her in his usual unwavering arrogant stance. "But, be forewarned that the latter option does not include a meal."

Hermione took a second to think about her options and grudgingly took his proffered arm to be escorted into the dinning room. The table was set for two people with fine china. There were a large number of covered platters and dishes containing steaming food. Hermione's mouth watered as she smelled the familiar scent of hot rolls and roast turkey.

They both sat at the table and waited for the house elves to serve them their dinner. Lucius began eating in silence as Hermione started to pick at her food. Her mind was swirling with everything that happened to her today and she tried to make some sense of her situation.

"You mentioned that you would be joining me later. What happened to 'not taking anything from me that is mine'?" Hermione looked at her plate as she tried to bravely confront him with his own words. "If you had every intention of using me like all of the other Death Eaters, then you should have just told me. Please don't play games with me."

Lucius stopped eating to look at Hermione. "I have no intention of bedding you, witch." Lucius was upset that she would group him with the crass and uncivilized Death Eaters that took advantage of her during her imprisonment. "You will be staying in my room with me. I will have to keep an eye on you while you are in my care. I do not wish to incur the wrath of Voldemort if you were to escape.

"But know this: I will not take advantage of you. You will have to ask me before I ever lay a hand on you." Lucius smirked at her before he turned his attention back to his food.

"That will never happen." Hermione spit out her reaction.

"Do not be so sure of that, Hermione." Lucius caught her eye and winked at her with the usual enticing confidence that she had always heard about him in the past. Despite all of her loathing for him and everything he stood for, she found herself blushing in reaction to his simple flirtation.

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The rest of their meal went by with long silences. At certain intervals Lucius would bring up a topic of discussion in order to engage Hermione in an active conversation. She refused to give in to his ploy to make her his new friend or confidant. She found this whole situation unnerving. She would answer all of his questions with simple, courteous replies; never seeking to ask him for anything.

Later that night Hermione stood in the middle of the same bedroom she was in earlier that day. Lucius was preparing for bed as she stood there without moving.

"You can prepare for bed by yourself, I assume?" Lucius quirked an eyebrow at her. "Or do I have to change you myself?" Lucius smiled at her in a teasing manner.

"I can manage on my own." Hermione quickly went back to the closet that she was in earlier and found a dresser. She went through the drawers to find dozens of slinky negligees and other risqué nightclothes. She fumbled through the scraps of material that she assumed were knickers, and tried desperately to find something that would cover her body.

After a long search she found a silk negligee that was turquoise. It was very simple and covered her body. It had small spaghetti straps that held up the v-cut neckline of the gown. It hugged her curves as the silk flittered around her waist. The bottom of the gown hit her about mid-thigh.

Hermione took a long time examining her figure in the mirror before she got up the confidence to make her way out into the bedroom.

When she entered the bedroom she found Lucius sitting in the large four poster bed with his back propped up against the headboard. He was reading a book. Hermione couldn't help but think of how serene he looked with his long blonde hair hanging down over his shoulders. He was dressed in long silk pajama bottoms with no top. It was then that she realized how much her body betrayed her as she found herself focusing on the lean and muscular plains of his bare chest.

Lucius looked up to see Hermione staring at him in a daze. "You look absolutely delicious, Hermione." Lucius smiled at the blush that immediately rose up the sides of her neck. "Won't you join me?"

Hermione slowly made her way over to the other side of the bed and pulled back the covers to slip into the vast bed. She felt safe when she realized how much room there was in the bed. She could easily toss and turn in the bed and never come into contact with Lucius's body.

Hermione turned on her side to face away from Lucius and quickly closed her eyes to find sleep. She felt movement on the other side of the bed as the lights were snuffed out in the room and Lucius settled into bed.

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The next morning Hermione felt warm and comfortable. She snuggled down into the warmth and sighed with content as she started to believe that the many months of torture were a horrible dream. Her consciousness began to return to her as her body started to wake up. She remembered all that happened in the last 24 hours and suddenly realized that she was snuggling in the arms of Lucius Malfoy.

She opened her eyes to confirm her suspicions. Lucius was sleeping with his arms wrapped tightly around her midsection. She looked up to examine his face and watch him sleep.

Hermione wondered what he was dreaming about as his brow crinkled in worry and he began to murmur softly. Without thinking she moved her hand to run her fingers gently along his brow to try and ease the worry that rested there with such intensity.

Lucius was startled awake and caught her touching his face with concern. He stayed there, without moving, for a minute as he searched her eyes for an explanation.

Frightened from his searching gaze, Hermione removed her hand and turned in his arms to remove her body from his grasp.

"I apologize, Hermione. I promised to never touch you without your permission. I never believed that I would betray my own promise in my sleep." Lucius watched her back as she sat up in the bed and pulled her legs around to get out of the bed.

"May I use the bathroom?" Hermione asked with her back still turned to him.

"Of course." Lucius watched as she slowly made her way to the bathroom on the other side of the room. "Hermione, I need to discuss with you the terms of your stay at the manor." Hermione turned to him and gave him her attention in an answer to his comment.

"I will give you free reign of this house while you are here. I ask that you not try to escape and please trust me with any needs you have. Since you are a slave of the New Order I am putting myself in great danger by giving you these liberties. If you escape you are putting both me and yourself in great danger. When we are around other people I will have to treat you like a slave, and you will be required to act submissive.

"You may read any of the books you find in my study. There is a wide array of clothing in that closet for you to use…if you require any other items please either tell me or Darby. Is this agreeable to you?"

"You don't need my permission to treat me in any way you see fit." Hermione replied.

"I want your permission, Hermione. I want you to be comfortable in this relationship."

"I don't understand you Lucius. Why is it so important for you to have my approval? You have never sought it in the past. In fact you scoffed at my opinions." Hermione began to get angry at her situation. She felt manipulated and out of sorts. She wanted everything to be black and white, good and evil. Lucius had always been in the evil category, and now he was confusing her with his new attitude.

"Do you think this is what I wanted?" Lucius began to raise his voice as he got out of the bed and walked towards her. "Do you think I honestly wanted to lose my entire family to this cause? To find myself tied to an egotistical, power-hungry maniac that only finds pleasure in torturing and raping people that he deems inferior. I never planned for any of this to happen. My worst nightmare has slowly been built up around me, and I can do nothing to stop it." Lucius began to pace in his frustration as he ran his hand through his long blonde hair.

"When I saw you in the line of prisoners, for the first time, in a long time, I had hope. Hope that I would be able to connect to someone. To find someone to understand my pain and frustration with this world. Someone that would accept me, challenge me, give me new hope…someone to love me." Lucius stopped pacing as the final words barely made it over his lips.

"What do you want from me Lucius? I have nothing to give you. There is nothing left of my former self…your _friends_ have seen to that. They have beaten and tortured me until I could no longer fight." Hermione felt exposed as tears started to flow freely down her cheeks. She wiped her face and turned away from him to hide her emotions from him.

Lucius quickly stepped up to her to stand over her back, just millimeters from touching her body. He leaned over her shoulder to whisper to her softly, "Don't you want it back? Don't you want to feel something again? I can show you how to feel. I can give you joy, kindness, gentleness, passion." Lucius sighed heavily before continuing, "Hell, I can give you anger if that is what you want."

Lucius stalked around her body to stand in front of her. His eyes were intense as he continued to plead with her. "Use me, Hermione! Beat me, hurt me, make me feel the way you do, show me how you feel. I have been empty for too long. We are both empty shells; but I was hoping that together we might be able to fill each other with some purpose. I don't know what…but something is better than nothing."

Lucius stepped even closer to her as his body came close to touching her. Hermione closed her eyes as she felt the heat of his body radiate onto hers. She could feel his hot breath mingle over her lips as he hovered over her with anticipation.

"Ask me, Hermione. Please…I need you to ask me." Lucius desperately pleaded with her as he fought for control over his own desires. He wanted so badly to find comfort and reason in her. His mind whirled with confusion as he realized the irony of the role she now held in his life.

They stayed there for a moment that felt like eternity. Finally, Hermione opened her eyes and stepped back away from him. Lucius could see the confusion and anguish fighting with her for an answer to his demand. Hermione shook her head, "I can't."

She turned away from him and made her way into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

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They spent the next couple of months feeling each other out. They remained civil to each other as they settled into a routine.

Lucius would leave in the morning after breakfast to head to the Ministry. He was busy most days with work as the new Minister of Magic. He mainly worked on increasing the capital of the Ministry by making investments and trading with overseas wizarding companies.

Hermione spent her days reading and trekking through the expansive house that was Malfoy Manor. After a week she finally got up the nerve to ask Lucius for something to do. When he asked her what she would like to do, she suggested potions or gardening.

Lucius took a couple of days to think about her request and decided he could accommodate her in a small way. He already had a small greenhouse that was attached to the back of the Manor. He had Darby clean it up and prepare it for planting. He then went to Diagon Alley to find new supplies and seedlings for a number of useful potions ingredients.

He even called Severus to ask him what items would be the most useful to plant for potions.

Once he had the items he needed, he got a few brewing tools and set up a small lab in the corner of the house. It pleased Lucius to be able to surprise her with the lab and greenhouse.

In the next weeks he found great joy in watching Hermione study and plan her garden accordingly. She would engage him in discussions about the different potions she could brew, and even asked him about a few theories she had. She would get excited as she scribbled madly in her notebooks to plot out her plan of action.

Once she had everything in the greenhouse planted, she waited patiently for them to blossom and be ready for harvesting.

Lucius found that he looked forward to the evenings with Hermione. It surprised him when he realized how much he thought about her during the day and would even think about new topics of conversation to bring up in order to get her fired up. He began to see the spark in her that she had in her younger days, and he found that he wanted to be more to her.

The hardest times were at night. She would still dress conservatively in the closet and come out once she knew that he was already in bed. Every night she would go to her side of the bed and slide in under the covers away from him. She always faced away from him and closed her eyes. Not long after he would put his book on the nightstand and turn out the light before he made himself comfortable in the bed.

About once a week they would wake up in each other's arms. Hermione always shyly pulled away from him and quickly got up to go into the bathroom. This last week had been the most difficult for him when he found himself with an erection as a result of her body being pressed against his.

When he heard the water began to run in the tub he moved his hand down his own body to grasp his erection. He closed his eyes tightly and began to stroke himself up and down. He grunted with each thrust as he pictured Hermione touching him in this intimate way.

What Lucius didn't know was that Hermione had forgotten to bring in her robe to change into after her morning bathroom ritual. She left the water in the tub running as she opened the door to the bathroom to get her robe. But she froze in place when she saw Lucius lying in his bed. He was softly moaning as his hand stroked himself furiously.

She was mesmerized as she watched his labored breathing make his chest rise and fall. She moved her gaze up to watch his mouth pant with effort as he rolled his head back into his pillow. His long hair began to stick to the side of his face as his activities made him perspire. Her own breathing became labored as she found herself becoming aroused at the site of Lucius pleasuring himself.

Hermione stood still as she watched him become more frantic in his actions. He began to groan louder as he got closer to reaching completion. Finally, she gasped as he grunted out his orgasm and said her name. She was startled into moving as she quickly went back into the bathroom without her robe and stopped the water in the tub. She stepped into the tub and closed her eyes as she tried to catch her breath and calm her body down.

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That night Hermione was quiet. She ate dinner in silence and only answered Lucius's questions with one word replies.

Lucius was confused as he watched her act nervous and shy around him. He felt like she was acting the same way she did when he first brought her into the manor.

After dinner he followed her into the study and sat in front of the fireplace with the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. He began to read as Hermione settled into the chair across from him with a book on relaxing potions. He watched her above his paper as she nervously bit on her lower lip while she studied her text. It worried him that their interactions had changed so drastically in one day.

"Hermione, is there something wrong?" Lucius decided to put it out there and feel her out.

"Huh?" Hermione looked up from her book with a slight start. "Oh, no…there's nothing wrong." She stuttered out her words and quickly looked back down to her book.

Lucius noticed the awkward reaction she had to him and the blush that rose up the sides of her neck. He watched her intently for a couple of minutes in silence. The blush reached her cheeks as her face glowed in the flickering light of the fireplace.

"What has changed between us?" Lucius finally broke the awkwardness.

"Nothing…nothing has changed." Hermione never looked up to meet his eyes when she answered him.

"Don't lie to me, Hermione. Something has changed between us since last night. You almost seem afraid of me. What have I done since then to cause this reaction in you?" Lucius finally caught her gaze as she shyly looked up at him. He refused to back down after all of the progress they had made.

"I…" Hermione looked away as she tried to figure out what to say.

"Tell me!" Lucius demanded her attention.

"I saw you."

"You saw me?" Lucius was confused by her cryptic words.

"This morning…when I went to take a bath." Hermione blushed an even darker shade of red as she looked down into her lap.

"You saw me." Lucius said with understanding as he realized that she had witnessed him pleasuring himself this morning. He looked away from her as he studied the flames in the fire. He thought about how she reacted to seeing him taking pleasure in the memory of her body pressed against his own. He wanted to pull her out of her chair and kiss her soundly to show her exactly what he could do to her…but he had made a promise to her.

"How did it make you feel?" Lucius looked back at her as he spoke.

"What? What do you mean, 'How did it make me feel'?" Hermione was shocked at his complacency and ease with the whole situation.

"I am not embarrassed about my actions, Hermione. In fact, I found them rather…enjoyable. What I wish to know is why you have completely changed your demeanor around me after seeing me in that position?"

"How would you have me react, Lucius? You said my name!" Hermione said the last statement as though she was accusing him of a crime.

"Well, you happened to be on my mind in that moment."

"I don't understand you, Lucius." Hermione got up from her chair and began to pace in front of the fireplace as she ranted. "You bring me here as your _slave._ But give me freedoms and make me feel like I have a purpose again. You treat me with kindness and give into my every whim. You have been pleasant around me and never once made me feel unwelcomed.

"It is so confusing that I almost start to believe it. I start to forget that all of my friends have been killed or driven away by your Lord. That I am not truly free, nor am I able to even feel the way I feel about you at times." Hermione stopped pacing and faced Lucius in the chair. "And then you look at me at times, and I think you understand."

Lucius jumped up from his chair and came to stand in front of her. "I do understand."

"No! You don't. You don't know what it's like to feel blissfully happy in this manor as I prepare to brew and study new techniques; and then to suddenly feel desperately guilty for allowing myself to believe that I am immune to the reality of this world.

"This could all end in a second. One word from Voldemort could ruin it all. It's a façade…and you have done so much to make me believe that it is real." Hermione began to feel the familiar wetness of hot tears beginning to form at the corner of her eyes. She made a move to turn away from him to hide her feelings.

Lucius grabbed her upper arm tightly and turned her to face him. "Hermione!"

Hermione looked down at his hand grasping her arm. Lucius followed her gaze and quickly removed his hold on her.

"It doesn't have to be this way. We could help each other." He came closer to her without touching her in any way. "You have given me a new reason to come home each day. I find myself thinking about you when I am supposed to be listening to dignitaries discuss the latest economic crisis. You are the one light in my world of darkness. You give me hope that I might be able to live again."

They locked eyes as he searched her for any sign of acceptance. He stood there for a long time watching her play over his confession in her mind. He noticed her chest begin to rise and fall as her own body began to react to his nearness.

"Please, Hermione…ask me." Lucius's eyes pleaded with her as he waited for her response.

Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she whispered, "Touch me."

It took Lucius a second to realize what she was saying. He slowly raised his hands to softly run his fingertips up her arms. He watched as she sucked in a gasp of air and waited for him to continue in his exploration of her.

He reached the top of her arms and ran his hands along her collarbone. He kept one hand on her neck as he moved his other hand to her waist. He grasped her tightly and pushed her into his own body. She pressed her body against his and let out the breath that she was holding. He ran his hand up from her waist and made a slow circle on her back. Finally he moved his other hand to the back of her head and guided her to lay her head on his shoulder.

With her eyes still closed, Hermione tentatively wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him close to her body. She was conflicted and nervous all at once. She felt safe in his arms and it surprised her how much she craved for him to hold her tight.

Lucius held her there for a couple of minutes before he raised his head and pulled her head up to look at him. He searched her eyes for answers to the many questions he had running through his head. But Hermione answered them all when she tangled her hands into his hair and pushed his head closer to hers to claim his lips.

It only took a moment for Lucius to grasp what she had done. He passionately returned her kiss as he pulled on her body to find a way to possess her more. He became frantic and uncontrolled as he sought to own her completely. He begged for entrance into her mouth by sliding his tongue along her lips.

It didn't take long for the two of them to become breathless without any direction as to their next steps. Lucius quickly picked her up by pulling her from under her knees to cradle her in his arms. He mindlessly found his way through his study to the couch that sat in front of the large window. He laid her down on the couch. He then moved to sit on the side of the couch next to her and looked down at her with pure passion and lust.

"Are you sure you want this, Hermione?" Lucius had to be sure.

"Yes. You're all I have left in this world."

Lucius didn't give her time to think about her words before he swooped down to kiss her again. He began to work his way down her jawline to the juncture where her neck met her collarbone. Hermione squirmed on the couch and reached up to find the clasp on Lucius's robes.

Lucius felt her hands trying to remove his robes with no success. He sat up and grabbed his wand to flick it over the both of them. Hermione looked down at herself as her clothes transfigured into one of the silk negligees that were hidden in the drawers of her closet. She smiled when she saw that Lucius was only dressed in a pair of silk pajama pants tied at his waist.

It only took her a split second before she reached out to his waist to untie the pants. Lucius kissed her collar and began to work his way down to her chest. As he ventured lower he moved the spaghetti strap of her negligee down her arm to give him more access to her.

"Lucius, please…I need to feel you." Hermione grasped his waist and pulled him to lie on top of her on the couch. Lucius situated himself on her with his elbows holding him up enough to not put all of his weight on her.

Hermione released the drawstring that held his pants up and pushed them down over his hips. He maneuvered slightly to help her get them all of the way off. It was then that Hermione felt the assurance of his desire for her pressed against her body.

Lucius ran one hand down her side until he reached her hip. He used his fingers to raise the negligee up to let him see the prize he was unwrapping. She wasn't wearing any knickers.

"Oh, Hermione, you are so beautiful."

Hermione grabbed his face on each side and pulled him up to her to kiss him with a passion she didn't know she possessed. Lucius pressed his body on hers and gasped at the feel of her skin coming into contact with his own heated skin. He began to unconsciously rock his hips as he rubbed his erection against her abdomen.

"I can't wait, Hermione. I need to be inside you." Lucius grunted as he tried to keep his urges under control.

Hermione answered him by grasping his erection in her little hand and guiding him to her entrance. She spread her legs wide and wrapped one of her legs around his arse. Lucius looked up to search out her eyes. Once he had her locked in his gaze he slowly pressed forward into her tight core. He hissed with the intense pressure he felt that overwhelmed him to feel her surround him.

Hermione moaned when he was all the way in. She slowly began to rock her hips up and down to find her own pleasure as he stayed there waiting for her to be comfortable.

After a few seconds, he couldn't stand it anymore. He began to slowly thrust in and out of her as he panted hard over her.

Hermione began to feel her orgasm start to build in her as she matched his rhythm. "Harder, Lucius…please!"

"Oh Merlin, you have no idea what you do to me, Hermione." Lucius began to pound into her with force as he sought his own orgasm.

Hermione held on to his shoulders for support as her body rocked hard from his thrusts. She shut her eyes tightly and started to whimper softly with each thrust that she felt. She held on to him as she felt it all build up inside her.

Lucius knew he wasn't far from losing his control. But he lost all of his willpower when he felt her run her nails down his back until she found his arse and grabbed him tightly.

"Hermione!!!" Lucius lost all control as his orgasm wracked through his body. He pounded into her a couple more times with as much force as he could use without hurting her.

"Lucius!!" Hermione felt her body clench around his as her own orgasm come upon her in waves.

Lucius fell on top of her as he came down from his release. They were breathing hard as they tried to gain control of their bodies. Lucius managed to pull himself up off of Hermione and move to the back of the couch. Hermione moved onto her side and pressed her back into his body. Lucius wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him to lie beside him.

They stayed that way for hours in silence. Lucius thought Hermione had gone to sleep. He kept watching her breath and wondered if she would let him be with her again in the future. He knew he could see himself being very happy with her. It was a surprise to find how much he desired this little snip of a girl that was merely a pest to him in the past.

"Lucius?" Hermione's voice startled Lucius out of his reverie.

"Yes?"

"What happens now?"

"Whatever you want, Hermione." Lucius observed the curve of her neck as she looked down to the ground and thought about what she wanted.

"I want to free. I want to end Voldemort's reign." She knew she was asking for the impossible…but she couldn't help what was deep in her heart.

Lucius squeezed her body tighter to his as he took a deep breath. "I will do whatever it takes to make that happen for you."

Hermione stayed still as she processed the words he said. She knew the ramifications of his statement. He was promising treason and possibly his own life to help her. She grasped his hand that was still wrapped around her waist and intertwined her fingers in his.

As she started to fall asleep in his arms she heard a faint whisper come over her, "I love you, Hermione."

THE END

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A/N: I know this is not completely resolved…but I wanted to write a one-shot story with Lucius in it. I know that Lucius seems out of character in this story, but I feel that he is defeated by his own losses and doesn't know how to get back to the way things used to be before the war. He shows Hermione his true self throughout this story in an effort to connect with someone again; while he continues to put on a show of arrogance for everyone else. Also, Hermione is defeated by her imprisonment and abuse.

I hope you all enjoyed this little shot into a new genre for me. As always, please review. Thanks!


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